Modern take on Botanic Gardens

Today the sisters and I went on an adventure - mystery trip they said at the start of the adventure. 

We ended up at Royal Botanic Gardens in Cranbourne. Its a wonderful place to enlightened any gardeners mind and delight their sensory perception. 

It is not the typical 'Botanic Gardens' as I got the sense there was no expense spared in the building of this garden; it is absolutely immaculately presented and maintained. Even to the degree that its like they have trained nature to grow in a certain form, shape, way. I struggle to give you a picture of it, its like a cross between Disney park, Chelsea Flower Show, images out of home n garden magazine and maybe a little bit of a garden centre. Mix it all together then you will have this botanic garden - keep in mind that it was only finished in 2012 so there is a lot more 'growth' to be had. 

As we walked around the gardens I could not help but come to an awareness to the uniqueness of Australian fauna in a setting where architecture, creativity and imagination are fused together and the unique interpretations that have been placed into this garden to make it a contemporary work of art. 

Whilst it in winter mood, there is so much potential for the amazing plants to mature and come to life. Visually inspiring, a delight to walk around as the landscaper has taken into account the viewer experience to allow those who are not gardeners to get a rich taste for the Australian plant life as too the knowledgeable gardener also. 

The gardens are planted in regions to focus on specific adaptations of the Australian environment. 

There is a play on patterns and colors, not only with the plants yet with the landscaping materials also. In the centre there is a large section of Pindan red mud from South West Kimberly region of Western Australia that grabs your eyes and imagination as soon as you enter into the garden. A gentle reminder that I am in Australia as like a little bit of the vast outback and dessert within the city. 

There was an education element to the garden also, with the water feature been form from rain water and around the gardens is information on sustainability, re-cycling, choice of paving or decking, animals in home garden and the history of Australia's plantation. 

I have to admit though, you can take the girl out of New Zealand, yet never New Zealand landscape or gardening out of the girl!! 

At times I miss the endless fields of green, the garden that doesn't have structure or endless landscaping stones in! Pure green NZ which delights me a lot more than red stone dessert landscape ;o)

Here is an image I took off line, not mine - From the Royal Botanic Garden website -